Having finally deep-sixed a nagging two-household hex in place since the turn of the century, Cam Gibson and Nate Chomitz seek to equal an historic feat shared, ironically, by the teenagers' respective older sibling.

"Winning the (Kingston Area Secondary Schools Athletic Association) title was sweet," Ernestown Eagles power forward Gibson was saying following Tuesday's lacklustre practice, "but we want more than that."

"We want to make our mark in eastern Ontario and provincially, too."

For the Eagles, Step 1 towards that goal begins Thursday at the two-day double-A senior boys regional basketball tournament in Cornwall. Ernestown is among a half-dozen schools vying for one of two berths in the Ontario championship, March 4 to 7 in St. Catharines - aka Step 2. The team, however, need not concern itself with the latter until it locks up the former.

"We have to get back to business," noted Gibson, whose 16 points,12 rebounds and five blocks spearheaded the raptors' thrilling two-point victory over the Holy Cross Crusaders in Sunday's county final at the Queen's Centre. "We're still excited over (Sunday's win)," he added by way of explanation for Tuesday's lethargic workout in Odessa , "but it's time to refocus."

The Crusaders' march, despite Sunday's setback, also continues on Thursday. They host a three-team triple-A round-robin from which the top team advances to the March 5 to 7 Ontario championship in Windsor..

Regardless of the Eagles' fortunes over the next two days, the Gibson/Chomitz KASSAA curse is no more.

Prior to Sunday, the two families had combined for an implausible 22 runner-up finishes in KASSAA title tilts, including 13 by the Gibson clan.

"I rubbed it in my brother Eric's face a little but not much," Eagle catalyst Chomitz conceded, well aware of the fact that Eric as well as Cam's older brother, Donnie, earned OFSAA double-A gold with the '03 Eagle flock - but no KASSAA pennant.

"It is unusual," noted Bill Gibson, father of Ernestown alumni Donnie, Kelsey, Jake and, in the coming months, Cam. "But then Ernestown, being a smaller school, has never really been favoured in any final.

"We won," Pops Gibson added, referring to pre-curse days, one generation removed, when his Kingston Blues prevailed at the midget and junior levels.

The Chomitz KASSAA drought, on the other hand, is a carry-over from the previous generation. Nate's mother, Gaynor, lost a basketball final while wearing a La Salle Black Knights uniform. Mind you, she was Gaynor King back then, so she earns a pass.

Her and husband John's two oldest children, Eric and Rachel, played second fiddle in six county saw-offs. With the upcoming graduation of their third-oldest, the acquisition of any future KASSAA crowns, if any, is left to 15-year-old Niall. He played with the junior Eagles club this year.

Ernestown, seeded second in the Cornwall tournament, opens against Perth this morning before wrapping up Day 1 with a 5:30 p.m. match against Arnprior.

The top two teams in each of the three-team pools advance to Friday's elimination round. The eventual two finalists move on to OFSAA.

The latter acronym should not be contemplated, mentioned, even breathed by Eagle players over the next 48 hours. That tidbit of advice hails from a roundball scholar well-versed in the subject, ex-Eagles coach Tom Turnbull.

"The best way for a team to approach a (potential) OFSAA berth is to not think about it at all," stated Tom-T, who in 26 years as hoops coach at Ernestown, took 20 boys and girls teams to year-end provincials.

"Winning KASSAA is such an emotional high, something a team gears towards all season," reasoned Turnbull, who guided those OFSAA bronze- and gold-medal Eagle teams in '02 and '03, respectively. "In reality, though, it's just the first step.

"At EOSSAA, you just have to play your game, play hard and, frankly, treat it like a life-and-death thing."

A tad dramatic? Perhaps, but in words only. Because to do otherwise is to risk failure.